Apparatus for the decomposition of fats and oils.



B. E R'EUTER APPARATUS FOR THE DECOMPOSITION 0F FATS AND OIL S.

I 1 APPLICATION man NOV. 7.1913. 1,227,198.

Patented May 22, 1917'.

Inventor math/@6417" E. RP/ufier R M I I flwmaya.

BALTHASAR E. REUTER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO REUTE B, PROCESSCOM- PANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR THE DECOMPOSITION OF FATS AND OILS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 22, 191 7 Application filed November 7, 1913. Serial No.799,699.

, TER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in thecounty of Gook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new anduseful Improvement in Apparatus for the Decomposition of' Fats and Oils,of

which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification.

My'invention relates to apparatus for use in the treatment of fatsoroils, the object of my invention being to provide improved equipmentwhereby the fats or oils may be decomposed, the glycerin content removedtherefrom, and the said fats or oils rendered free from discoloration.The apparatus hereinafter described is particularly intended for use incarrying out the processes disclosed in my Patent No. 1,068,079, issuedJuly 22, 1913, and my co-pending applications Serial Nos. 698,615 and730,214, filed respectively on May 2, 1912-and November 8,1912.

Generally my invention consists in a plurality of tanks for carrying outthe above mentioned process and mechanism associated with or connectingsaid tanks, the operation of which is described in the followingspecification, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, inwhich I Figure 1 represents the apparatus of my invention, all of saidapparatus with the ex ception of the saponification tank beingillustrated more or less diagrammatically;

and

Fig. 2 -'is a fragmentary detail View of the air-tight closure for theopening in the top of the saponification tank. In the drawings Aindicates the acid treating or wash tank; B is'a tank for the storage ofwash water recovered from A; C is the saponification tank; D indicatesthe sweet water or glycerin storage tank E repre sents the tank forstoring and. bleaching the fatty acids recovered from the saponifica-'tion tank 0; E represents the condensed or distilled water tank.

The acid treating or wash tank A is open at the top. as shown, and ispreferably provided with a lead lining in order that it may not beaffected by the acid with which a charge admitted to the said tank istreated. The wash tank is also preferably protated in" oppositedirections.

vided with a mechanical agitator, 3 and a steam coil 4L having jets 5,said coil being connected with a steam supply pipe as shown. Themechanical agitator with which the acid treating plant is equipped isconveniently, in all respects, similar to the agitator with which thesaponification and 'bleaching'tanks are provided and therefore adescription of the, agitator of the saponification tank will suflice forall. y Y

The storage tank B requires no detail description. It will suffice tosay that this tank is connected with the wash tank A by suitablepiping'Y.

The saponification tank C is air-tight and comprises the outer tank orshell 8 having a lead lining 9, which of course is not affected by thesulfuric acid which is employed in carrying out the process ofdecomposing the fats or oils. The bottom of the saponification'tankslopes toward the center as shown. The said tank is provided with asteam coil 10 having jets 11, said steam coil being connected by a pipe12' with a steam supply pipe 6Q Said saponification tank is alsoprovided with a lne'chanical agitator which comprises two mar nepropellers which are rotated-"in opposite directions. Supported by thebottom of the saponification" tank is abracket 13 I in which bears thelower end-0f a. shaft 14, which has mounted thereon the propeller 15.

Said shaft passes through the top of the-ea ponification tankandterminates in a gear case 16, where it is provided with bevel gear 17.The gear case 16 is supported by a platform 18 as shown. Disposed aroundthe shaft 14 is a quill shaft 19 which has a pro peller 15 mounted uponits lower endf'the.

upper end thereof terminating in gear case 16, where it is provided witha bevel gear 20. .-Di sposed .at right angles to shafts 14- and 19 is ashaft 21 which projects into'gea-r case 16 and has attached thereto-abevel geaia,

22 meshing with bevel gears 17 and 20. It"

isevident when thepulley 23 attached to the l shaft 21 is driven fromany suitable source of power, the shafts-1a and '19 and consequently thepropellers 15 and 13 will be ro- In the operation of the agitator thepropellers moving in opposite directions serve effectually to br'eak thetreated materials into very small particles and so facilitate thedecomposition thereof.

The saponifica'tion tank is'also equipped 11 with a plurality ofstop-cocks 24 and a pressure gage 25 as shown. The opening 26 in the topof the saponification tank is closed by means of a cover 27 as isclearly shown in Fig. 2. The tank carries an annular cover support 28having a groove 29 1nto which an annular lip 30 carried by the cover.27is arranged to project. A quantity of water or other suitable liquidis'poured into the groove 29 in order to form an air-tight seal betweenthe cover 27 and its support 28. As the cover 27 is usually quite heavy,I prefer to attach thereto a rope or cable 31, which passes over apulley and is provided with -a counterweight 33.

As is pointed out in my patent above re ferred to, it is desirable topreventair from cominginto contactwith the contents of thesaponification tank. It is evident from the drawing that the steam whichcollects in the saponification tank above the contents thereineffectually excludes air from said tank.

The sweet water tank D is connected by pipes 34 and 35 with the pump 36and the saponification'tank C, respectively.

The bleaching and storage tank E is provided with a mechanical agitator37 and a steam heating coil 38 connected by means of a pipe 39 with thelive steam pipe 6, said coil being also connected withthe pipe 40;

providing the overflow cups 43 and 45 and the associated apparatus Justdescribed, I

am enabled to maintain atmospheric pressure withi-n the saponificationand bleaching' tanks, at the same time preventing temperatures over 212Fahr; As is clearly pointed out in patent and patent applica- IOIISreferred to, it is very necessary, in order that my processes besatisfactorily carmaintain inspection of the drawing. with ried out, tomaintain pressures not substantially above atmospheric pressure and to.temperatures not substantially over 212 Fahr.

At 46 I have illustrated an acid storage tank mounted for convenienceupon scales 47. The contents of this acid storage tank may be connectedthrough suitable piping,

to the acid treating, saponification and bleaching tanks. mention all ofthe valves in detail, as their functions will be apparent at once froman The agitator which the acid treating tank is equipped may bedispensed with if desired.

While I have illustrated my invention in the particular embodimentsherein shown and described, I do not wish to limit myself to these.-particular constructions, but desire to claim broadly any equivalentsthereof which may suggest themselves to those skilled in the art towhich my invention relates.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

As a means for decomposing fats or oils, the combination of an-opentankhaving a steam jet coil for heating the contents thereof, a closedtank having a steam jet coil and provided with a mechanical agitator,said. tank receiving fats or 0118 previously heated insaid first tank,a. third tank for receiving glycerin water from the second tank,

a closed bleaching tank provided with a closed heating coil andamechanical 'agi tator for receiving the decomposed fatty acids from thesecond. tank, and means for I have not attempted to filling the top ofthe last-named tankwith.

steam at substantially"atmospheric pressure to prevent access of air tothe contents of the tank.

my name this 4th day of November, A. D. 1913. i

- BALTHASAR E. REUTER. Witnesses: AUGUST H. L. AnNiyr,

LEONARD E. BOGUE.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe

